Ephemeral
by PONITAPG
Summary: "'I shouldn't be doing this.' Dick thought sadly but his mouth opened to say something different. He looked away his brows furrowed, lips pressed downward, eyes connecting with the ground that was getting closer every second. He wanted to have guilty thoughts in his head at the moment but all he heard himself say was 'Just hold me a little longer.'"
1. Chapter 1

**A.N:/ Hey people who read this ;D I'm back from my lazy retirement. Yeap I upload so slowly! I'm going to say sorry now. Also thank you to those who review, favorite, and subscribe. I love you guys. This was written at 12:02 pm so It may be OOC and not probable to occur. But I just love Dick/Artemis/Wally! It's my author's fantasy. It will happen someday I have faith! **

**Another side note here, I probably suck at grammar and or sentence fluency etc. If you see any stuff like that could you leave a review pointing it. Thanks! :3 **

**If you love it leave a review too ;)**

**There aside I can't help but say you're one good looking evil do ore! EXCELSIOR**

**Disclaimer: I don't own **

The cold water cascaded along his bare back. A fist was clenched at his side, eyes open as he watched the water slide on the tile he was leaning his forehead on. Richard Grayson was not Batman. He didn't want to lead the team but if he had to he would.

He was sixteen now, he had grown taller and broader. Everyone, especially Batman, expected something from him -To grow old, to be more stoic, more prioritizing, and more unemotional- he could be like that sometime but not live with it.

He closed his eyes and remembered no one knew his secret identity but Wally. The shivers that the chilly waterfall created made him calmer about the situation.

How many hours had he been here anyway? The mission ended long ago, and he didn't lose track of time only because his IPod was almost finishing with its playlist. He would cherish this time because in the shower he didn't wear his dark glasses, he had no secret ID, and he would act more like himself not like the son of Bruce Wayne or the heir of Batman. He would let himself have feelings for team mates; he would relax his muscles and enjoy a good rock song.

That didn't matter now, today was one of those lonely and depressing nights when he debated with himself if he wanted to form part of the team, of the league of Batman. He finally raised his wrinkled fingers and closed the shower.

~O~

Artemis sat on the couch bored, one callused hand behind her neck and the other busy throwing grapes at her mouth. It was 9:08 pm and her teammates seemed busy with their own distractions to notice her form sprawled all over the couch.

Maybe they weren't even there but she didn't know. The blonde had been the first to hit the showers and the first to finish. Wally was suddenly in her personal space and had snatched the last grape that was almost reaching her lips.

"Wally!" she shrieked angrily. The speedster chuckled and stole a peck. "I'm grounded tonight babe." He said apologetically. Artemis smiled frowning slightly. "It's ok I'll just hang out with Megan or Bird boy or something."

"Someone called?" the mentioned ninja piped from behind Wally. The redheaded jumped like a screeching cat. He mentally face palmed at the so hated ninja thing his teammate always did. Robin did his signature cackle after playfully pushing his best buddy. His cerulean eyes were hidden by his shades again.

"Yea, dude, as I was saying before being rudely interrupted…" Wally explained nodding towards Robin who merely shrugged still smiling. "…Mom and dad are mad at me for failing everything but physics and chemistry"

-"What? I always thought you were a geek!" Artemis mocked him. "No! I'm not! I'm just a science genius not an English prodigy!" Wally yelled annoyed by his girlfriend and best friend who were laughing madly at his flushed cheeks. "Okay guys let me finish this time…" Wally crossed his hands and pouted sitting on top of Artemis's stretched legs purposely. She yelped and punched him hard, to which he just flinched and continued "So, my best pal who's still learning how to be a best pal..." He paused to address boy wonder that was facing the couple "Will make you, Artemis, company to make up for that date?" Wally finished sheepishly.

"Sure." Artemis said but crossed her arms and looked away from Wally. The speedster was about to kiss her goodbye when the computer announced the arrival of green arrow. He froze and yelped a quick 'bye' before disappearing to the zeta tubes.

~O~

They were just sitting beside each other on the green couch. The TV had their favorite 'No signal' channel. She didn't know what to tell him. She barely knew him; all she knew was that he was the most heroic, intelligent, and sneaky sixteen year old bastard.

Artemis did want to talk because it intrigued her profusely the now grown up Robin. She felt strongly curios about him, his past, his dark side, and maybe it was because of the way he handled his secrecy.

She glanced to him and barely registered a dark speck of blue in the eyes of her friend. 'He was staring?' Artemis thought. She quickly took her eyes away when he flashed his eyes to the TV again.

There had to be a topic with them. 'He likes action movies? Is he a dog or cat person? What music does he enjoy? Does he have a crush, a girlfriend, a lover? Why do I want to know all these?' Artemis was getting nervous as her mind kept bringing questions about the cute guy/kid who she actually never saw as a kid.

Her gaze was on her lap trying not to feel awkward. He was stiff and his hands kept fiddling. Never had she thought Robin could feel unsure. Artemis gathered courage to face him and opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

He had his fingers laced on top of his lap and his head bowed. Artemis noticed and immediately asked "Are you okay?" He was daydreaming apparently because he flinched when she spoke. It was a small flinch but Artemis noticed it clearly. "Uh- ye-yeah sure Arty." He grinned but Artemis didn't buy it.

His smile was mellow and his eyebrows were furrowed, clear sign something was wrong. "Doesn't work with me Bat boy you should know." Artemis adopted her usual challenging attitude. Richard could read her too and gave up trying to avoid.

"It-It's the mission, today's mission." He shifted his body to face her now. "I- I don't want to risk anyone anymore, I don't want to act as if being so calculative and serious is my style."

Artemis listened carefully. He was opening to her; the guy she thought had the hardest shell from everyone. Robin continued "I was talking about this to Canary the day of the mission, the-the day you died…" He said unsure to continue. "The thing was that I didn't- I don't want to be like 'him'…"

She smiled and encouraged him to keep going; she wanted to listen to his feelings. "But lately… I've been acting like Batman again. And I can't tell anyone for that same reason and I've been hoping I could, be-because I want you- and-and the team… to trust me, to know I trust you… to tell you and the team who I am in reality." He finished not daring to look into her blue gray orbs.

The guy sure knew how to pull her heart strings. He looked so vulnerable and innocent. Now she knew how he saw her the day the Reds attacked. She couldn't resist anymore. She reached for his neck and hugged him tightly against her body.

"I trust you little buddy" Artemis said noticing how he went stiff because of the nickname she had used. He kept his head hidden on the crook of her neck anyways, nuzzling her hair slowly.

Not knowing what to do next or if breaking the hug would be okay Artemis began lifting her head. "Can you stay one more hour?" Robin breathed against her. She was going to reply but he cut her off rather desperately "Please just hold me a little longer" And it came muffled and shy like he was afraid of asking anything of her.

Her eyes widened a bit. Still unsure Artemis remained holding him. They could always have a friendly hang out, and it had been a pretty tough mission after all. "Okay." She sighed softly.

~O~

'I shouldn't be doing this.' Dick thought sadly but his mouth opened to say something different. "Can you tell me how we ended up here again…?" The black haired said pointing to the carnival's Ferris wheel.

"I'm cheering you up." Artemis stated in a matter of fact tone.

"Again I ask… why?"He said not believing what could be open for a sixteen year old at eleven pm. "Because we are friends, and you happen to be my boyfriend's best friend, and you were left here to make up for my date." The last part she said it somewhat annoyed.

The fair looked alive and colorful, brightened by the lights of the different mechanical games. "We should try the booths first." Artemis said smirking at Robin. He grinned back at her "You read my mind." They walked enjoying the pleasant mood they created with each other. They had won every single game they had tried, constantly trying to best the other.

When he won a small teddy robin plushy he smirked and gave it to her happily. She laughed in her husky voice hugging the teddy and he couldn't help but blush slightly. They were having a delicious midnight snack when they glanced at the towering Ferris wheel.

They didn't need words to know what they had to do then. "Race you." He said playfully shoving her aside. Artemis was never too old for a challenge. They came agitated to the short line and he tried talking between pants "I win." "No way!" The archer yelled at him.

He watched her confident pose and fire like attitude that looked simply adorable. "Okay it's a tie." She smirked and grabbed his hand and pushing him in a booth.

Her gray eyes looked satisfied and kept that proud look until they were at the top of the wheel and the night couldn't look more beautiful. 'She is beautiful...' He suddenly panicked for having such a thought and she saw the change in his face.

"What?" she asked but he didn't say anything. She then followed his gaze to the breathtaking landscape of stars and city lights. "They make us pay for what we could have in a Gotham rooftop." He said still facing the night sky, hoping she would mistake the dark red contrast to his white skin with the chill of the night.

She snorted a 'totally' then they shared a glance and started laughing lightly. "You know what's funny; my idea of cheering someone up is beating the crap out of bad guys." Artemis said looking at him now. "That's my idea." He huffed playfully.

"Then why didn't you propose it first?" Artemis taunted. "You are the one in charge of cheering me up not the other way around." Robin retorted. "And it's dumb for you to wear shades in the night." She confronted him. "How random you are." He said amused by her attention. "You're funny Robin." Artemis said confirming her randomness.

"Was that sarcasm?" She just laughed at him. They hadn't noticed but they had slowly inched closer and closer with each word.

They were so comfortable with each other's presence they didn't feel the difference until she turned and was nose to nose with the sixteen year old. The Ferris wheel moved at that moment and Robin had crushed his lips with his best friend's girl. The wheel kept moving but he kept his mouth attached to hers.

Somehow his brain only thought it was a good idea to move his lips with hers. Now that he analyzed this she hadn't pulled back either. So he deepened the kiss because he was being himself, with her, right now. 'We're just friends' but he merely tilted his head to the side to kiss her fully. Ideas of how wrong and depraved they were, how this would change everything…

'Wally.' It felt like seconds until both of them realized what had happened. They pulled back simultaneously, she let out a choked gasp and his face looked alarmed and shocked. They scrambled away from each other as far as they could in their seats.

He looked away his brows furrowed, lips pressed downward, eyes connecting with the ground that was getting closer every second. He wanted to have guilty thoughts in his head at the moment but all he heard himself say was 'Just hold me a little longer.'


	2. Chapter 2

Part two

He chewed gum incessantly. A nervous habit he must have copied from Artemis perhaps. He was not grounded actually, and it wasn't like he didn't love spending time with his long time girlfriend but he thought today he wanted to remember why Wally West was the cliché Kid flirt. Not that he would cheat on Artemis ever, but a little playing around, charming some girl without actually offering anything was what he wanted. Something he would never do with Artemis near.

He trotted to the Ferris wheel line waiting for the round to end. It was currently paused due to technical difficulties so he let his mind relax a bit. He couldn't go around stressing for something he already did. Though the guilt remained. Wally arched his neck upwards in attempt to massage the numbness out of it. His eyes paused at the sparkling stars and lights. Traveled to the tall wheel lighted by rainbow flashes and ended on a booth. He did pause in mid chew when he saw a couple busy in a heated lip lock. Teenagers he thought rolling his eyes and resting them on the line again. His brain processed the faces until then.

He glanced abruptly to the booth where he saw his ex-best friend and ex-girlfriend. The smirk left his face almost immediately. As if they had sensed his stare they pulled away and the ride got to its end. Not in a million years did Wally West think he would be in the middle of a stupid teenage drama like he was now; standing on a waiting line in a Gotham Fair at midnight. Strangely enough he didn't think of the guilt of being there a second after what he saw.

He glanced away angrily tears threatening to leave his eyes. Angry tears, painfully agonizing hurt tears. He walked, slowly moved his feet so they weren't rooted to the ground anymore and decided to go back home.

-o-

"I'm sorry." His voice was hoarse and almost inexistent. "Okay-" She didn't think she would find a voice until words flew out of her mouth by themselves. "I love Wally." She almost sobbed in a raspy tone.

He couldn't help the sting in his heart and the drying of his eyes. The bile was gathering up in his mouth as he tried to keep his poker face. He knew she didn't need to tell him. A bittersweet chuckle left his mouth. "Me too." Artemis finally showed a shocked expression and he laughed sadly relaxed with the change of mood. "In a totally not gay way Ar-te-mis." He said her name softly hinting his guilt in each phrase.

"I will leave now." Artemis said her eyebrows furrowing worriedly. Her fingers twitched and he wanted to hold them in his cold hands, squeeze them and kiss them. She was killing him, he desired to comfort her just as she had tried to do whit him and how did he pay her? Kissing her while she was dating his best friend. Why did he kiss her? He always thought, analyzed and then acted but Artemis just threw off his principles. "Will you come back?" He asked carefully half hoping she would say no, half begging she would say yes. She didn't, she just neared him, a crystalline drop rolled down her cheek making him freeze in place. He did not expect that. Where was his bat training when he needed it?

He flinched slightly when air alerted his body of her proximity. She was close yet far away. He felt her sigh unsteadily. She was crying silently but he heard it so loud in his head. She felt awful. So did he. Suddenly her smooth forehead was pressed against his. He didn't do cuddling or PDA or anything but now, with her he found out he actually liked it. Her little nose was red as he noticed the details in her unable to close his eyes.

She sniffed and he wanted to tuck in the strand of blonde that fell on his cheek. 'How can this tigress be so fragile' His mind asked itself. "Maybe tomorrow Dick." He widened his eyes. She knew? How? Or was she insulting him? He wanted to kiss her again suddenly, and laugh with her because he had promised so. Instead he clenched his eyes. His fists red from pressure as he kept them at his sides. Her light pressure on his forehead was enough then because if he had more he would not control himself and if he had less the pain would be unbearable.

And as quick and intangible as her caress had been it was gone. And he was alone on the cold dawn waiting for a miracle. He wished his best friend wasn't her boyfriend. Then maybe he would ask his advice. "I'm such a dick to you Wally." He joked to no one in particular.

-o-

"She's just an exotic creature you can't contain" Wally thought sadly as he lay on his bed. It was too cold now. And he was usually tepid even in coldest days of December. He couldn't cry since the chill invaded his rigid muscles. Not even his fast metabolism was working. The image of betrayal printed in his subconscious haunting and torturing him.

He stretched a little and even with the numbing cold he didn't make a move to cover himself. He couldn't think clearly anymore his emotions overwhelming him. 'Stay whelmed' he heard a perky voice in his head. 'Great now you invade my mind too you troll.' Wally thought bitterly.

He wanted to hate Dick so much he never wanted to see his face again. He heard tiny pebbles bumping against his window. He contemplated if moving his depressed body was worth it; besides who would throw stones at his window but his 'best bro.'

His eyes that were clenched tight opened lazily but his scowl remained. He slowly popped one eye open first. The little stones kept pounding now accompanied by a faint and almost meek 'psst'. The kid still had the guts to come to his house. Oh wait he didn't know Wally knew. "Great" Wally hissed angrily.

Taking some effort the red headed managed to crawl out the bed and force the window open. Tiny snowflakes crusted his window and fell on the ebony spot that distinguished from the floor. Dick lifted his head and Wally blanched at how tired and dead his friend looked.

'Wow? Guilt must be eating him up.' Wally thought for a moment. The boy below the window lifted a brown paper bag towards the red headed one. His dark lashes covered with frozen tears, stained cheeks and damp hair. With a smooth show off swing of his hands he leaped on a tree root and perfectly jumped inside the window giving Wally seconds to step aside.

Snow covered his carpet as Dick brushed his boots and jacket off. The subtleness in his manners had slipped apparently because he made no motion to cover his eyes. Green eyes scanned the boy now accommodated in his bed sighing heavily through a constipated and red nose.

"Thought I pass by and bring you a treat, you know since you're grounded" "Cool" Wally snapped suddenly. Dick flinched at his tone uncharacteristic emotions seemed to be flowing through untamable. Wally narrowed his eyes deciding to confront "So how was your date with Artemis." It was a statement that effectively snapped the convalescent bird boy back to his detective and sagacious mode.

He perceived his undertone too. Catching up and reading faces were his thing after all. "How did you know?" "I asked you to make it up for me didn't I Richard." The sarcasm and poison leaving his mouth effortlessly. The boy on bed slowly moved his feet off the bed to sit and stare at him. He knew better to be careful with his best friend's temper.

Wally crossed his arms ignoring the furious whistle of the wind from the open window. "I'm sorry" He breathed out after watching the look in Dick's eyes. "No, you're right." The smaller boy interrupted before Wally could continue.

"I- I'm the worst brother to exist. I don't deserve you Wally." He paused to lick his dry lips. "I kissed her, and I enjoyed it… I'm afraid of myself Wally I'm so sorry." His voice cracked a bit before saying "I- I think I like her too much." Wally realized he didn't want this confirmation. It was one thing watching afar, but when the words left Robin's mouth they were like daggers stabbing over and over.

"Oh." Was the one unintelligent sound that slipped through the awkward silence. Richard brushed a hand through his humid locks and watched as his brother sat beside him on the bed. "A-are we going to be… okay?" Robin whispered almost innocently. "I don't want that to happen again." Wally stated his tone harsh and bitter. It was logical he would be hurt. "I will ask her to move in with me, we're going to college, and I hope distance helps this." He rubbed his knees with his callused hands eyeing Dick's reaction. No emotion faced his visage. He was shocked.

"Bros?" Robin finally answered. "Before Hoes." Wally smirked and the thick air around them seemed to slowly calm down. "Now how about we look at that apology treat you brought."

"Only if you let me stay today, it's kind of late."

"This is totally turning into a sleep over." Wally shrieked happily completely oblivious to the sad look his friend kept masking with his jokes.

-o-

"Girl, you're moving in with a horny eighteen year old college boy?" Raquel practically yelled as she patted Artemis in approval. "Oh my gosh Raquel, you're making her blush, though you seriously have some explaining to do." Zatanna insinuated maliciously. Artemis simply laughed graciously at her friend's words. They all had history with Mr. Grayson.

She just hoped Megan wouldn't bring up the 'missing her and the team job' now. She wasn't one of Grayson's exes, in any case she's like his sister or so she thought three weeks ago. This rambling thoughts brought her back to the problem at point. She couldn't get him off her mind.

She tried everything but his beautiful steel blue depths of orbs ghosted in her dreams instead of joyous apple green. And his chapped lips sometimes made hers tingle. She felt terrible, so when Wally said they should quit the job sometime and live together she didn't hesitate. Maybe her motives were guilt and lack of courage but what the hell, she was too confused. Wally was her rock back then, he loved her for who she was and kept balance. Richard was just her best friend who appeared to have trusted her all the way knowing she had defective bonds and bad origins.

Megan, Zatanna and Raquel were in the kitchen when he passed by. He obviously had to be polite and say goodbye to the team's archer. He would not fight by her side anymore. He would not see her at school either. He would not steal glances at her and blame it on his increasing hormones. So when he neared the blonde cascade of hair he jumped the couch and landed beside her. He kissed her cheek wetly and whispered 'I love you…' "When you scowl" He added cheekily before joining the party that kept laughing in the kitchen.

Artemis placed a hand on her cheek. Somehow she heard his confession too serious. She felt warm spread on her face and frowned. She didn't realize her thoughts made her do faces. At least he didn't lose his childhood self. Artemis smiled and forced her head on lovely freckles to peck and cozy embraces her boyfriend would give to comfort. Perhaps to forget-

**_An: nothing to say but enjoy. Have a nice night or day and GBY-_**


End file.
